As shown in FIG. 5, a conventional cutting machine 101, such as a hobbing machine, is provided with a supporting part 189 configured to press and fix a work W101. When the cutting machine 101 performs a cutting process to a work W101, chips are generated. The chips scatter and adhere to respective parts of the cutting machine 101.
Under this cutting environment, there is a possibility that the chips adhering to the cutting machine 101 might fall down therefrom and adhere to a succeeding work W101 to be processed. For example, there is a possibility that the chips might adhere to a support-receiving part 117 of the work W101, with which the supporting part 189 of the cutting machine 101 is brought into contact. When the work W101 is pressed by the supporting part 189 of the cutting machine 101 under the state in which the chips adhere to the support-receiving part 117 of the work W101, dents (indentations) may be formed in the support-receiving part 117 of the work W101, because of existence of the chips adhering to the support-receiving part 117.
In order to prevent the formation of these dents, the supporting part 189 of the cutting machine 101 has an opening 176, which is configured to eject an air supplied from an air supply source, not shown, so as to blow away the chips adhering to the supporting part 189 of the cutting machine 101 and to the support-receiving part 117 of the work W101 (see JP2001-47311A and JP2002-254245A).
A principle of removing the chips by an air ejected from the opening 176 is described. Before the work W110 is pressed by the supporting part 189 of the cutting machine 101 (a state shown by the left half section of FIG. 5), an air is supplied from the air supply source, which is not shown, and then the air is ejected from the opening 176. Thus, the chips on the support-receiving part 117 of the work W101 are blown away. Then, as the supporting part 189 of the cutting machine 101 is lowered to come closer to the support-receiving part 117 of the work W101, the air ejected from the opening 176 collides against the support-receiving part 117 of the work W101 more strongly and rebounds therefrom partially. The rebounded air then hits against the supporting part 189 of the cutting machine 101, so that the chips on the supporting part 189 are blown away (see JP2006-326761A).